Title :
Measurement of starting torque in surface tension self-assembly of microstructures
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Imperial Coll. of Sci., Technol. & Med., London, UK
fDate :
6/21/2001 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The torque available at the start of out-of-plane rotation in surface tension powered self-assembly of microstructures is measured by deformation of an elastic spring. Values confirm to theoretical estimates and show that surface tension torque can overwhelm the gravitational counter-torque for realistic components in the microstructure size regime
Keywords :
elastic deformation; micromechanical devices; self-assembly; surface tension; torque measurement; elastic spring deformation; gravitational counter-torque; microstructure size regime; microstructures; out-of-plane rotation; realistic components; starting torque measurement; surface tension powered self-assembly; surface tension self-assembly; surface tension torque;
Journal_Title :
Electronics Letters
DOI :
10.1049/el:20010553
